Coin-operated reversible-seat chair



(No Model.)

L. M. ERB. GOIN OPERATED REVERSIBLE SEAT CHAIR.

Patented Mar. 10,1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS MARTIN ERB, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE REVERSIBLE CHAIR COMPANY, OF CALIFORNIA.

COIN-OPERATED REVERSIBLE-SEAT CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,012, dated March 10, 1891.

' Application tiled March 19, 1890. Serial No. 344,507. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS MARTIN EBB, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Operated Reversible-Seat Opera-Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a novel chair for theaters, concert-halls, and other places of public resort; and it consists, mainly, in a chair with a revolving seat and back, having one side or surface plain and the other surface cushioned or upholstered, and coin-controlled or coin-actuated mechanism combined therewith by which the seat and the back are locked or held in one position to present the plain or uncushioned surfaces outward, and are released and caused to revolve to bring the cushioned surfaces into use upon the introduction of a coin into the mechanism.

It consists, also, in certain spring-operated mechanism of novel construction and locking devices adapted to be controlled or actuated bya coin of given denomination, in combination with a revolving seat or a revolving seat and back in a chair-frame, all as hereinafter fully described.

The following description explains the nature of the said invention and the manner in which I have constructed and carried out the same in the production of a chair for theaters and other public places, the accompanying drawings being referred to by letters.

Figure 1 represents an opera-chair in side elevation and longitudinal section with both seat and back upholstered on one side and plain or uncovered on the opposite side, the upholstered sides being turned to the front for use. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation with portions of the frame broken away to expose parts inside. Fig. 3 is a side elevation with the frame broken away at points on the seat and back to expose the locking mechanism, the seat and back being reversed. Fig. 4:

is a top view of the revolving seat and the body of the chair-frame,t-he back being shown in section.

Aindicates a chairframe, of suitable shape, with openings in which a seat B and a back C are hung or mounted on pivots or centers D D E E to revolve freely that either side may be presented to the front for use. One side or surface of each part is upholstered or provided with a cushion, while the reverse side is left plain or without a cushion. In the present construction the center of both the seat and the back is a rod or shaft extending longitudinally through the part and setting inbearings f f in the frame, and the adjacent ends of the two shafts at the junction of the seat and back are connected by bevel-gears G G. To one of the shafts, and preferably to the upright shaft, as being more convenient, is fastened a spiral spring II of suitable strength to turn the shaft one-half a complete revolution when released after being wound up or brought into a state of tension by a movement in the opposite direction. The spring is so applied that when unwound or relaxed the seat and back are turned to present the'cushioued sides to the front, and when the parts are reversed to bring the bare sides to the front sufficient power is stored up in the spring to turn the parts over. I I* arelatches that look these revolving parts in position and hold them from being turned either by the spring when it is in tension or by the weight and pressure of the person seated in the chair, the latch I being a pivoted bolt set in a chamber A in the back frame and engaging a hook I on therevolving back, and alateh 1* of similar character being placed in the chamber A in the seat-frame to engage a catch I on the seat. Connecting one of the latches with the other is a rod K, attached to an arm i on the lower latch and extending upward through a bore in the chair-frame to the upper latch, where its ends set under and in close relation to the latch.

L is a push-rod working through a bore in the chair-frame and provided with a head L Y on the end outside the frame, while the opposite end L inside the latch=cha1nber is in line with an aperture or recess m in the body of the latch. A. coil-spring L on the, push-rod holds it up clear of the latch, and a spring a under the latch keeps it in position to engage the hook-catch on the revolving part.

P is a faceplate with a coin-slit P corresponding in width and in length with the di mcnsions of the coin and terminating in the latch-chamber just between the latch and the end of the push-rod, and arranged also to deliver the coin upon the latch over the recess before mentioned. Under ordinary conditions before the recess is covered by the coin the push-rod when pressed down will not act on the latch, as the recess is of suitable size to let in the end of the rod to the full length of its movement; but when the recess is covered by the coin a pressure applied to the push-rod will move the latch and release the hook, whereupon the spring-actuated shaft turns the parts on their centers and brings the cushioned sides to the front.

As each revolving part has two hooks or catches on opposite sides of the axis, one of which is always in engagement with the latch, an additional hold ing device may be arranged in the frame at the side opposite to the latch to engage the catch at that side, not for the purpose of locking the revolving part, but for furnishingadditional holding means, and thus distribute the strain upon the looks.

The latch I Fig. 2, is placed on the opposite side of the frame to take the hook on that side of the revolving parts. The catch on the corresponding side of the seat-frame is received into a recess in the seat-frame, and a latch on that side is dispensed with. Either construction may be used, if desired, to prevent excessive strain on the locking-latches, and as such additional holding means'is not an essential part of the locking mechanism a locking-latch need not be applied to that catch which is not in engagement with the lock mechanism.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a chair having a revolving seat and a revolving back covered or cushioned on one side and uncovered or plain on the reverse side and connected together to revolve simultaneously, a springoperated shaft which is arranged to be wound up or put in a state of tension by turning the said revolving part in one direction, and coincontrolled locking mechanism adapted to hold the revolving parts in position against the force of the spring and to be operated or acted on by an inserted coin to release said parts and permit the spring-shaft to turn them, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The combination of a suitable frame, a revolving seat having one side covered or cushioned and the reverse side uncovered or plain, a spring-operated shaft which is arranged to be wound up or put in tension by turning the said seat in one direction and to revolve the seat in the opposite direction when released, a locking-catch which is adapted to hold the seat in one position against the force of the spring when in tension, and mechanism adapted to be controlled by an inserted coin arranged to operate said locking device and release the seat, substantially as set forth.

3. In an opera-chair having a reversible seat and a reversible back to present either cushioned or uncushioned surfaces to the front, the combination of a spring adapted to be Wound up or put in tension by movement of said parts on their centers in one direction and by reaction to bring the said parts back to reverse position, and locking mechanism consisting, essentially, of latches I 1*, catches I connecting-rod K, push-rod L, recess m, and coin-channel P, arranged for operation as set forth.

4. In a reversible seat and back chair, the combination of lockinglatches I 1*, catches I connecting-rod K, push-rod L, and coinchamber A having a slit and a channel or guide which is adapted to deliver a coin between the push-rod and the latch, for operation as set forth.

LOUIS MARTIN ERIE.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. UEFFINGER, JOHN WILLIAMS. 

